Is Late-Round QB Dead in 2025?

You know it’s fantasy football season when someone with a Twitter handle like @GridironGuru69 drops a thread claiming a time-honored strategy is officially dead. This year, it’s late-round quarterback catching the slander. According to a growing chorus of analysts and fantasy managers, if you’re still waiting until Round 10 to draft your QB in a 1QB league, you’re basically asking to be left in the dust. The game has changed, they say. Time to pay up for the elite arms or get left behind.

So, let’s put this idea to the test. Is late-round quarterback no longer a viable fantasy football draft strategy? Let’s start by making the case for going early at quarterback.

The Case for Drafting QBs Early

1. Elite QBs Offer Massive Weekly Edges

Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson. These dudes don’t just put up points. They put up win-your-week type points. The combination of rushing upside and high passing volume means these QBs can outscore QB10 by 8-plus points on any given Sunday. That’s not a gap. That’s a canyon.

2. Dual-Threat QBs Don’t Slip Anymore

The Konami cheat code days are over. The market has figured it out. Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix are going earlier now, and that means you can’t wait around for a rushing breakout. If you want that kind of upside, you have to pay up.

3. The Middle Tier is a Minefield

Once the top 7-8 quarterbacks are gone, you’re picking between injury risks, unknowns or guys with brutal offensive situations. Want to bet on Kyler Murray staying upright? Feel great about Bo Nix’s rookie season? How about Brock Purdy bouncing back while throwing to a bunch of question marks? Didn’t think so.

4. Streaming is Tougher Than Ever

Matchups are harder to exploit. Defenses are faster and more versatile. And with most fantasy leagues adding deeper benches, that waiver wire you used to rely on? It’s dry. Good luck finding a one-week fix when everyone else already has two quarterbacks rostered.

5. Structural Advantage

Taking an elite QB means you’re set. No overthinking matchups. No stressing over backups. Just plug-and-play every week and focus your attention on building out RB and WR upside behind them. It’s a simplified, streamlined approach.

Sounds pretty airtight, right? Not so fast.

The Case Against Early QBs (aka the comeback tour for late-round truthers)

1. Elite QBs Still Come at a Cost

Yes, Josh Allen scores a lot of points. But drafting him in Round 2 or 3 means you just passed on a potential WR1 or anchor RB. That early capital is valuable. And if you hit on a late-round QB breakout (hello, Jayden Daniels in 2024), you get that ceiling without punting your early-round upside elsewhere. You could also miss on the early-round quarterback like many did with Patrick Mahomes last year.

2. There’s Always a Dual-Threat That Falls

Yeah, the community is sharper now, but someone always slips. In 2023 it was Justin Fields. In 2024, it was Daniels. In 2025, maybe it’s Fields again or J.J. McCarthy being overlooked entering the season. The cheat code isn’t dead. You just have to dig deeper.

3. The Middle Tier Isn’t Unusable

You don’t need to bet your season on Bo Nix But at the right price, guys like Nix or Purdy are appealing. Every year, we see middle-round guys fall into Round 10 where they offer value. No, you won’t hit a ceiling like Josh Allen, but you also didn’t pay a Round 2 price.

4. Streaming Still Works if You Work It

If you’re active and planning ahead, you can still stream. Target bottom-tier defenses, ride hot streaks, and play the schedule. Sure, it takes effort, but it’s a real strategy. You’re not doomed. You’re just hustling.

5. Drafting an Elite QB Doesn’t Guarantee Peace of Mind

The idea that you can “set and forget” your elite QB assumes he’s going to be elite. If he gets hurt or underperforms, you’ve burned high draft capital. Meanwhile, the guy who took two late-round dart throws still has a fully loaded bench and can pivot quickly.

The Bigger Argument for Late-Round QB

Now that we’ve played both sides, let’s zoom out.

1. QB Scoring Is Flat After the Top Few

In most seasons, the difference between QB5 and QB15 is not massive. In 2024, Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff and Sam Darnold all had viable fantasy stretches. If you’re not chasing a top-three guy, you’re better off waiting and playing the value.

2. Positional Scarcity Still Wins

Elite RBs and WRs disappear quickly. The third round is still rich with positional advantage at those spots. Quarterback? It stretches. You can find a usable QB in Round 10 or later. Good luck finding a bell-cow back or target magnet wideout that late.

3. ADP Shift Creates Late Value

As more people jump on early QBs, the value shifts downward. Guys like Justin Herbert or Trevor Lawrence might not be sexy, but they’re starting QBs who could give you the potential for major return on investment in the double-digit rounds. That’s value.

4. You Can Still Find Rushing Upside Late

Jayden Daniels last year is proof. Someone like Justin Fields or J.J. McCarthy could be next. These are players with real rushing potential who are likely to be on the board in the late rounds. You just have to be aware of player profiles and pounce on the right guys late.

5. Streaming Isn’t Dead. It’s Just Competitive.

Sure, the waiver wire is thinner. But it’s not empty. If you commit to working the wire and managing your roster, you can build a Frankenstein’s monster QB1 that puts up top-10 numbers. It takes more effort, but it keeps your draft capital intact.

Verdict: Late-Round QB Lives

Credit where credit is due — early-QB truthers make solid points. The position is deeper at the top and the margins can matter. But in most 1QB formats, the value just isn’t there.

Unless you’re playing in an ultra-sharp league, there’s more juice in waiting. Load up on backs and wideouts while everyone else races for their favorite quarterback. You can find usable QBs later, and with some smart pairing or streaming, you’ll be just fine.

Don’t get seduced by the early-QB hype. Stay strong, stay late, and let someone else draft Josh Allen in the second while you build a monster roster around him. That’s how you win leagues.